Membership (year joined): University at Albany (2001), Binghamton University (2001), University of Hartford (1985), University of Maine (1979), University of Maryland Baltimore County, UMBC, (2003), University of Massachusetts Lowell (2013), University of New Hampshire (1979), Stony Brook University (2001), University of Vermont (1979), Fairfield University* (2007), Providence College^ (2010)*Associate Member in Field Hockey only ^Associate Member in Women's Volleyball only

Now in its fourth decade of operation, the America East Conference has evolved into one of the most comprehensive NCAA Division I conferences in the country with a commitment to broad-based, competitive athletics programs, complementing the academic integrity and missions of the member institutions.

Progressive in its approach to its more than 3,400 student-athletes, America East recognizes champions in each of its 20 sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's outdoor track and field, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's tennis, and women’s volleyball. America East also conducts the nation’s most comprehensive academic recognition program for student-athletes and collaborates on several community service initiatives throughout its geographic footprint each year.

With members spanning from the Mid-Atlantic to Northeast regions of the United States, America East strives to develop champions in academics, athletics and leadership at its nine member institutions: University at Albany, Binghamton University, University of Hartford, University of Maine, UMBC, UMass Lowell, University of New Hampshire, Stony Brook University and University of Vermont.

America East has experienced unprecedented success in recent years on the playing surface, in the classroom and throughout its member institutions’ communities. Starting with the 2007-08 academic year, the conference has had 25 NCAA wins, produced two individual national champions and had 120 student-athletes earn All-America recognition. In the classroom, hundreds of student-athletes have earned national or regional academic honors while America East’s Academic Progress Rate has improved every year since 2004-05 and ranks among the top three conferences in the country. America East has also sponsored programs aimed at improving its members’ communities, partnering with Newman’s Own Foundation for the Campus Community Challenge each of the past three years as well as teaming up with College For Every Student on student service projects each of the past two years.

2011-12 was a banner year for America East. Four of the conference’s champions combined for nine NCAA wins, the most ever for the league in a single year. Those nine wins included six by Stony Brook in the NCAA Baseball Championship as the Seawolves became the first America East team to reach the College World Series since the conference started sponsoring the sport in 1990 and ended the year ranked seventh nationally. Additionally, University of Vermont beat Lamar in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, earning the conference’s first NCAA win since 2005 and seventh overall, while Boston University’s women’s soccer team beat Harvard in the first round of the NCAA Championship and finished the season ranked 17th nationally. Boston U.’s softball team became the first America East team to earn a No. 3 seed for the NCAA tournament and beat Iona in NCAA regional play, earning America East’s sixth tournament win since 2007. On top of the NCAA success in team sports, Stony Brook’s Lucy Van Dalen became the conference’s third-ever national champion, winning the mile at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship. Other highlights from the year included a third-place finish in field hockey conference RPI, Boston University winning the closest Commissioner’s Cup race in conference history, finishing just two points ahead of Albany, and 30 student-athletes receiving All-America recognition.

Off the field, America East posted the third-highest APR in the country, trailing only the Ivy and Patriot Leagues, while 31 of its teams received NCAA public recognition awards. Additionally, 17 student-athletes received national academic honors. For the third straight year, America East partnered with Newman’s Own Foundation to encourage community service among students through the NOF Campus Community Challenge, which awarding over $100,000 in grants to support student groups engaged in philanthropy and community service. America East also partnered with College for Every Student (CFES), a national non-profit that helps underserved kids attend college, on a national service month while the conference’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee volunteered its time to clean up and paint at the Jackson Mann Middle School in Boston.

America East alumni also continue to make an impact in their professional careers. Nine athletes or coaches with America East ties represented their country at the 2012 London Olympics, including Van Dalen, who reached the semifinals in the 1,500-meter run. Stony Brook graduate Joe Nathan made his fifth American League All-Star team in 2012 and is one of several for America East baseball stars to make their mark professionally joining former Hartford standout Jeff Bagwell, the 1994 National League MVP, former Northeastern and America East Scholar-Athlete Carlos Pena, a Glove Glove and Comeback Player of the Year award winner, and former Binghamton hurler Scott Diamond among others. Additionally, a league-high 12 recent America East standouts were selected in the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft, including a first-round selection, three in the first five rounds and seven in the first 11. On the basketball court, former Hartford star Vin Baker and three-time America East Player of the Year Reggie Lewis, who captained the Boston Celtics at the time of his premature death, combined to make five NBA All-Star appearances during their careers while Jose Juan Barea (Northeastern), Speedy Claxton (Hofstra) and Malik Rose (Drexel) all contributed to NBA champion teams. America East alumni have also made an impact in the WNBA, Major League Soccer, Major League Lacrosse and the Women’s Professional Soccer League.

Outside athletics, America East’s institutions and alumni are making a difference as well. All nine America East institutions were ranked by U.S. News and World Reports in 2011 as top universities in the country in at least one category and UMBC was named the nation’s Top Up-and-Coming university for the third straight year. Albany’s College of Nanoscience and Engineering is a world leader in nanotechnology while Stony Brook University is one of just 61 members of the prestigious Association of American Universities. Alumni from America East schools include a Nobel Peace Prize recipient (Martin Luther King, Jr.), several governors, senators and congressmen, a U.S. surgeon general, Academy Award, Emmy and Grammy winners as well as several astronauts, Pulitzer Prize winners and best-selling authors and CEOs.

As America East enters a new era under the leadership of commissioner Amy Huchthausen, the league and its member institutions are well positioned to experience even more success in the years ahead.